Demolition Site Filled with Asbestos

Demolition workers who’ve been tearing down trailers to make room for new homes near the former Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colorado report that the site is riddled with asbestos and they fear that their health has been compromised.

According to a story on KWGN News Denver, workers doing the demolition say they were exposed to the asbestos and never warned of its presence. One former resident of the mobile home park told news reporters that he was worried about asbestos in the trailers even before the demolition began. Now workers say the pile of debris that currently sits at the site has been definitely confirmed to contain asbestos.

“Everybody that’s ever worked here, been around this site, even been on the property, has been exposed to it,” said former worker Leo Wiegand, “The only real thing we’re trying to get people to realize is, it’s a contamination to breathe.”

But the supervisor for the contractor doing the demolition work says there’s no need to worry. “There is asbestos in there,” said Brad Lundy, “Very little–it’s only on the flooring. As far as airborne, nobody’s exposed to it.”

A local Health Department expert says they are “actively investigating whether any employees may have been exposed” at the site, but believes there is “absolutely no danger” to the public from any asbestos found at the site.

In the meantime, demolition work at the site has been suspended until a plan to remove the debris is finalized.